Abstract: Methods for pyrolyzing asphaltene material includes providing a composition including from 50 to 90 wt % asphaltene material and from 50 to 10 wt % inert material, and pyrolyzing the composition. The presence of the inert material can help to ensure that the asphaltene material does not interfere with the pyrolyzing process and equipment. Method of forming asphaltene pellets can also be used in order to improve asphaltene pyrolysis.

Abstract: A method for producing hydrocarbons is provided, which comprises (a) subjecting a coal feedstock to mechanical activation (203) in a liquid medium, thereby obtaining a mixture of solubilized asphaltenes; and (b) at least partial cracking (207) the resulting mixture in a supersonic nozzle reactor, thereby obtaining hydrocarbon products derived from the asphaltenes.

Abstract: Methods for obtaining bitumen from bituminous material. The methods may include a dissolution step where a first solvent is added to material comprising bitumen to dissolve the bitumen contained therein. The majority of the dissolved bitumen is then removed from the mixture of first solvent and material comprising bitumen by filtering or settling the mixture of first solvent and material comprising bitumen. Any residual dissolved bitumen is then removed from the mixture of first solvent and material comprising bitumen by adding additional first solvent to the mixture to displace the residual dissolved bitumen from the mixture.

Abstract: A method is provided herein for performing a leaching process on a substrate (113). In accordance with the method, a freeze wall (115) is created which isolates a portion (117) of a substrate, and the isolated portion of the substrate is subjected to a leaching process.

Abstract: A method of cracking hydrocarbon material in a nozzle reactor. The method includes a step of providing a nozzle reactor, a step of injecting a stream of cracking material into the reactor body of the nozzle reactor, and a step of injecting hydrocarbon material into the reactor body of the nozzle reactor, wherein the cracking material is methanol, ethanol, ethane, propane, biodiesel, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, or combinations thereof. The cracking material can also include steam. The hydrocarbon material can be injected into the reactor body at a direction transverse to the direction the cracking material is injected into the reactor body.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are described that can be used as part of a process to separate bitumen from oil sands. The process may include adding a hydrocarbon solvent to a bitumen containing extract. The tailings from this process may contain a significant amount of solvent. The solvent may be recovered from the tailings with a tailings solvent recovery unit that utilizes negative pressure to significantly reduce the cost of the process in comparison to a conventional steam stripping unit. In one embodiment, the tailings may also separated prior to entering the tailings solvent recovery unit with a gravity separation apparatus or a cyclonic separation apparatus, such as a hydrocyclone.

Abstract: Methods for preparing solvent-dry, stackable tailings. The method can include the steps of adding a first quantity of first solvent to a bitumen material to form a first mixture, separating a first quantity of bitumen-enriched solvent from the first mixture and thereby creating first solvent-wet tailings, adding a quantity of second solvent to first solvent-wet tailings to separate a first quantity of first solvent component from the first solvent-wet tailings and thereby producing second solvent-wet tailings, and adding a quantity of water to the second solvent-wet tailings to separate a first quantity of second solvent component from the second solvent-wet tailings and thereby forming solvent-dry, stackable tailings.

Abstract: A method of preparing solid hydrocarbons for cracking. The method includes preparing a mixture including solid hydrocarbon material dissolved in a solvent. After optionally separating non-dissolved solids from the mixture, the mixture is injected into a nozzle reactor for upgrading of the hydrocarbon component of the mixture.

Abstract: Various methods and systems for obtaining bitumen from tar sands are disclosed. The disclosed methods and/or systems can be used to economically achieve a high degree of bitumen recovery from tar sands. The method may include a primary leaching or extraction process that separates most of the bitumen from the tar sands and results in a bitumen-enriched component and a bitumen-depleted component. The bitumen-enriched component includes mainly solvent and bitumen. The bitumen-depleted component includes mainly water and mineral solids with some residual bitumen and solvent. The bitumen-depleted component may be mixed with liquefied petroleum gas, e.g., propane and/or butane, to further separate the residual solvent and bitumen. The disclosed system can include separators configured to separate the various components at the various stages in the process.

Abstract: A method of extracting bitumen from bituminous material. In some embodiments, the method may include loading a bitumen material in a column, followed by feeding a first quantity of first solvent into the column. The method may also include collecting the bitumen-enriched solvent exiting the column. A quantity of the bitumen-enriched solvent may then be fed into the column. In some embodiments, the method may include simultaneously loading bitumen material and a first solvent in a column, followed by feeding additional first solvent into the column. The method may also include collecting bitumen-enriched solvent exiting the column, and feeding a quantity of the bitumen-enriched solvent into the column.

Abstract: A method is provided for recovering boric acid from a solution containing boric acid and at least one lithium compound. The method comprises (a) passing the solution through an ion exchange resin such that boric acid accumulates on the resin; (b) removing the boric acid from the resin with an aqueous alcohol solution, thus obtaining a first solution comprising an alcohol, boric acid, and water; (c) converting at least a portion of the boric acid to trimethyl borate, thereby obtaining a second solution; (d) distilling an azeotrope from the second solution, wherein the azeotrope contains trimethyl borate; and (e) recovering boric acid from the azeotrope.

Abstract: A nozzle reactor system for increasing the conversion rate of material feed injected into the nozzle reactor system. The system includes two or more nozzle reactors aligned in series, such that material exiting a first nozzle reactor may be injected into a second nozzle reactor. Each nozzle reactor includes an interior reactor chamber and an injection passage and a material feed passage that are each in material injecting communication with the interior reactor chamber. Furthermore, the injection passage is aligned transversely to the injection passage. The injection passage is configured to accelerate cracking material passed therethrough to a supersonic speed. A method of increasing the conversion rate of material feed utilizing multiple cracking steps is also described.

Abstract: Methods and systems for cracking hydrocarbon material in a nozzle reactor and processing any un-cracked hydrocarbon material passing through the nozzle reactor. The nozzle reactor used may have a configuration whereby cracking material is injected into the nozzle reactor at a high velocity, including supersonic speed. The hydrocarbon material is injected into the nozzle reactor and intersects with the cracking material to crack hydrocarbon material. Any hydrocarbon material that pass through the nozzle reactor un-cracked can be re-injected into the nozzle reactor. An increase in the concentration and amount of un-cracked hydrocarbons injected into the nozzle reactor may increase the overall conversion of hydrocarbons into lighter hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A method and a system for obtaining bitumen from tar sand are disclosed. The disclosed method can include two extraction steps, such as a first extraction step using a light aromatic solvent and a second extraction step using a volatile hydrocarbon solvent. The light aromatic solvent and the volatile hydrocarbon solvent both can be recycled and used in multiple extractions. Each extraction and recycling step can include a separation. The disclosed system can include separators configured to perform these separations. Some of these separators also can function as mixers. Using the disclosed method and system, it is possible to achieve a high degree of bitumen recovery while minimizing undesirable complications, such as swelling of clays in the tar sand and/or precipitation of asphaltenes.

Abstract: A method for recovering valuable chemical products from heavy hydrocarbons such as tar sand or petroleum waste products is disclosed and described. Heavy hydrocarbons can be contacted with a fragmentation fluid which includes ozone and a solvent carrier. The fragmentation fluid can be provided at supercritical conditions. For example, supercritical CO2 can be an effective liquid solvent carrier for ozone. During contact with the fragmentation fluid, the heavy hydrocarbons are reduced in size to form a product mixture of chemical compounds. This product mixture typically includes chemical species which are more suitable than the original heavy hydrocarbons to commercial uses and/or further separation to provide useful starting materials for a wide variety of synthesis and industrial applications.

Abstract: Methods for extracting bitumen from bituminous material through the use of a polar solvent. The method may include a primary leaching or extraction process that separates most of the bitumen from a material comprising bitumen and produces first solvent-wet tailings. A polar solvent is added to the first solvent-wet tailings in order to remove the first solvent (plus any entrained bitumen) from the tailings. A mixture of polar solvent and first solvent produced by the addition of the polar solvent to the first solvent-wet tailings may be phase separated by maintaining the polar solvent-first solvent mixture for a period of time. Alternatively, the polar solvent and first solvent may leave the tailings in a phase separated state. Phase separation may occur due to the presence of water in the polar solvent-first solvent mixture. Water may also be added to the mixture of solvents to serve as an antisolvent and initiate phase separation. The separated solvents may then be recovered and reused in the method.

Abstract: Various methods and systems for obtaining light hydrocarbon distillate from material comprising bitumen are disclosed. The method may include a primary leaching or extraction process that separates most of the bitumen from the material comprising bitumen and results in a bitumen-enriched solvent phase and first solvent-wet tailings. The bitumen-enriched solvent phase includes mainly solvent and bitumen. The bitumen-enriched solvent phase is injected into a nozzle reactor wherein at least a portion of the bitumen is cracked into light hydrocarbon distillate. The light hydrocarbon distillate may then be used as solvent in the first primary leaching or extraction step.

Abstract: A method for processing asphaltenes is disclosed. The method can include separating asphaltenes from an asphaltene-containing composition and oxidizing the separated asphaltenes to form oxidation products. Alternatively, the method can include oxidizing asphaltenes within an asphaltene-containing composition without first separating the asphaltenes. Once formed, the oxidation products can be combined with other hydrocarbons. The amount of oxidation can be limited to an amount sufficient to produce a mixture suitable for the desired application. This method can be used to upgrade asphaltenes from a variety of sources, including oil sands. The oxidation step can be performed, for example, by introducing an oxidizing agent and, in some cases, a catalyst into the asphaltenes. A solvent or miscibility agent also can be introduced to improve mixing between the oxidizing agent and the asphaltenes.

Abstract: A method for obtaining heavy oil is disclosed. The method includes mixing a material including heavy oil (e.g., oil sand) with a solvent including biodiesel to form a mixture and separating the mixture into a oil-enriched solvent phase and a residual sand phase. The method also can include introducing a solvent including biodiesel into an in-situ geological formation including heavy oil and collecting a mixture including biodiesel and heavy oil from the formation. For example, the mixture can be collected after the solvent travels through at least a portion of the formation by gravity. A method for producing biodiesel also is disclosed. The method includes microbially digesting asphaltenes to form a liquor including a fatty acid and reacting the fatty acid with an alcohol to produce biodiesel. This method can be used to convert petroleum asphaltenes and/or coal asphaltenes into biodiesel.

Abstract: Embodiments of a nozzle reactor of the type useable to inject a first material feed stock and a second material feed stock to cause interaction between the first material feed stock and second material feed stock are described herein. According to some embodiments, the nozzle reactor may crack residual oil produced by other processing units in a refinery process. Furthermore, nozzle reactors may replace traditional processing units of a refinery process, such as cokers, hydrocrackers and deasphalting units.